


I Never Wanted This

by PrincessGoldfish



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-02
Updated: 2016-02-02
Packaged: 2018-05-17 20:49:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5884666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessGoldfish/pseuds/PrincessGoldfish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When she reaches puberty, a mark is burned onto her skin by an unknown force. And when she eventually falls in love with her match, their name would be added to it.</p>
<p>Chloe never needed a name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Never Wanted This

**Author's Note:**

> This is my second fanfiction for Life is Strange. Please let me know what you think of it.
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/MissKateMarsh

Chloe knew she would fall in love one day. She just never put much thought into the process. Then Max’s mark appeared, and Chloe was more than interested. She was incredibly frustrated.

_ “I expected to get my tramp stamp first, but you had to ruin it for me. Way to go, Max.” _

Ignoring that statement, the younger girl focused on the doe on her hand. 

Chloe had seen this type of mark before, but rarely on a place so obvious. Uncoverable. People usually have privacy when it comes to this. They could hide it under their clothes or behind their hair. But the placement of Max’s soulmark would ensure no privacy on this matter. It was for the whole world to see.

The butterfly appears not long after, but Max wasn’t around to comment on the accurate prediction. But it was okay. Chloe didn’t believe in happy endings anymore. 

~

Rachel was a blessing in many ways. When she was with her, Chloe didn’t think about how empty her house felt without Dad’s laughter. She didn’t have to see her mom betraying his memory by bringing home David every night. And she didn’t check her phone every time it went off, hoping Max had finally messaged her back. 

Of course she wouldn’t. She was happier without her, after all. Why would she bother?

Chloe knew it wasn’t likely, but...maybe Max already found her soulmate in Seattle. She may have found the one who could laugh at her puns forever. Give her some right back. They would go on a few dates. Kiss. Hold each other’s hands. Share their deepest, darkest secrets. And one day, when they were officially in love, their names would burn into each other’s skin. Bonded forever.

And Chloe would meet her soulmate someday. She wouldn’t be looking forward to it anytime soon, though. Soulmates were for life, but after your match is gone, you have to go on living without them. She didn’t want to be like Joyce. Hiding her soulmark from a new lover, like it was something to be ashamed of. Pretending you don’t see their incompleted mark. Pretending it didn’t matter.

But maybe Max would come back and 

Maybe

_ “Chloe.” _

She took the joint.

Rachel helped take her mind off it all.

~

Joyce was ecstatic when she heard the news. She probably saw this as an opportunity to fix their relationship somehow. Make things the way they were before. Too bad that wouldn’t happen with David around. But it was nice of her to try. She might have cut her hair and developed freaky powers, but she was still Max Caulfield. Not a miracle worker. 

Chloe forgot how much she loved hanging with her. She was still full of sass. And short. And still had an incomplete mark. At least Chloe didn’t have to share her with anyone. They could pick up where they left off and be best friends again. She was hoping Max wouldn’t bring up anything about these soulmarks or destiny or “The One”. But of course nothing can go her way. 

_“I still can’t believe your mark ended up_ _there_ _of all places. Totally not fair. At least you don’t have to see it everyday and....wonder who’s out there waiting for you.”_

There was no point of thinking about it. But Chloe couldn’t be cruel enough to just say that. Not when the world was already bad enough. She’ll let Max have her hope. Just because she has none left, doesn’t mean she can deny it to someone she cares about.

But the truth was, this soulmate shit is just another way the universe can fuck everyone over. Why make your own decisions when an unknown force can make them for you without your consent!? That’s exactly the kind of world Chloe Price wanted, wasn’t it?

Whoever started that bullshit can go fuck themselves.

~

“ _ Chloe...I am so sorry. I don’t know what to do…” _ _   
_ Rachel was dead. Nathan killed her. She had been dead for months. She was matched with Frank. She lied about everything. Max couldn’t rewind far enough to save her. And Chloe didn’t know what angered her most.

For most of their lives, Chloe and Max obsessed over the adventures they would have in adulthood. But Chloe didn’t ask for this. She didn’t ask for a fucked up life, and she sure as hell didn’t know what she did to deserve any of it. No. That’s not right. She had a pretty good idea why.

Whenever something awful happened, Chloe pushed everyone away. And she always reasoned that it was so she wouldn’t hurt anyone else or somehow make things worse. But it always got worse. So she got angrier. Then people would leave her the fuck alone and not get in the way. No wonder Max never messaged back. It’s not like her last reply was very friendly. Who would ever want anything to do with Chloe Price now? What was the point?

Who would want a soulmate like her?

_ “Max, if I had your power, I would go all the way back and change everything.  _ _ Everything _ . _ " _

~

Max finally regained consciousness. And it was about damn time, too. She had a world to save. Chloe always loved that about her. This girl took on more responsibility than she actually had. Took the world on her shoulders and ran with it. Opposites really do attract, don’t they?

It was up to her now. Chloe should stop trying to have a say in her own destiny, anyway. Hell, look at where that got them in the first place. Standing above Arcadia Bay to watch their mistakes about to ravage the only home they ever knew. It was Chloe’s fault. And when asked to, she will take responsibility for it. She will find peace then.

She held out the picture for Max to use. 

No. 

Chloe was never going to go without a fight.

“This is my gift to you, Max. I’m going to let you go.”

“What? But Chloe….”

“No, Max.” She took the girl’s face in her hands. “You’ve done all of this just for me. And you have no idea what that could possibly mean. You put up with me when you didn’t have to. You deserve so much better than someone as stubborn and ungrateful as me.Do this for me. Save everyone. Be happy. It’s what you’re best at anyway, Super Max. And that’s how much I love you.”

It was meant to be just a kiss, but she wasn’t surprised by the pain in her lower back. It only confirmed another prediction of hers.

Max pulled back to look at the name appearing above the doe. Chloe took this chance to move away before Max could protest. Because if she did, Chloe would have ripped up that picture herself and faced the consequences. This was the least she could do. No one in Arcadia Bay needed to suffer for Chloe’s mistakes, either.

_ "I'll always love you...Now get out of here, please! Do it before I freak.” _

The short time they had together meant the world. She hoped Max knew. It didn’t matter whether or not they were meant to be, but at one point in time they  **_were_ ** . And Chloe prayed that whoever Max ended up with wouldn’t make the same mistakes. They wouldn’t let her feel ashamed or guilty for her actions. They would know she deserved better. She deserved everything.

_ "And Max Caulfield, don't you forget about me." _

_ “...never.” _

If she had enough time, Chloe might have laughed. Hugged her. Promised she would never leave her.

But it was okay.

She knew.   



End file.
